Sasaram: Even in death, dignity remained elusive for a 16-year-old girl from Rohtas whose body was allegedly tied to a tractor plough and carried nearly 20 km to a hospital after being recovered from a forest well on Saturday night, raising disturbing questions about the lack of facilities for handling bodies in remote areas.The girl’s family alleged that her in-laws were involved in her murder as they were opposed to her inter-caste marriage. Rohtas SP Raj said three people, including the girl’s husband and her parents-in-law, have been arrested in connection with the case.According to police, the girl, Lakshmi Kumari, was found dead in an old well in the Dumarkhoh forest under Baddi police station area in Rohtas. She had married Pinku Bind following an affair around two months ago and had been living with him near the forest.After the body was recovered, it was wrapped in a black plastic sheet, tied to a tractor plough attached to its rear, and transported to Sasaram Sadar Hospital. By the time it reached the hospital, condition of the body had deteriorated significantly.Doctors at Sasaram Sadar Hospital advised that the post-mortem be conducted in Patna due to the advanced state of decomposition of the body. It was subsequently sent to the state capital for forensic examination and autopsy. Dr Ajit Kumar of Sasaram Sadar Hospital confirmed that the body had been referred to Patna for post-mortem. “The body might have been thrown into the well a day earlier, as it was found in a swollen and decomposed state when it was brought to the hospital,” he said.Defending the decision, Baddi SHO Ram Briksh Kumar said the recovery site was located in difficult terrain and could only be accessed by a tractor. “Only a tractor could reach the spot, which is why the body was brought on a tractor,” he said.The incident has highlighted the absence of appropriate infrastructure for transporting bodies from remote locations and raised concerns about maintaining dignity in the handling of the deceased, particularly in challenging geographical conditions.According to police, the girl’s family alleged that her in-laws were involved in her murder as they were opposed to her inter-caste marriage. Rohtas SP Raj said three people, including the girl’s husband and her parents-in-law, have been arrested in connection with the case.
